Gemini Rue: A neo-noir detective game on an exoplanet

Some video game genres are like an endangered species.
Their numbers are critically low and they're constantly on the
brink of extinction. Take manic bullet-hell shmups and
dusty dungeon-crawling roguelikes, which
struggle to find relevancy in a world of online shooters and bird-flinging phone apps.

Another is the humble point and click adventure -- once a
staple of PC gaming and a money-making boon for publishers of
franchises like Monkey Island and Broken Sword,
they're now deemed as archaic and irrelevant as arcade cabinets and
floppy discs.

So, like capturing an ultra-rare Javan Rhino on film, we should cherish any last remnants of
this long-dormant genre. Such is the case of Gemini
Rue, a pixel-art point-and-click from indie developer
Wadjet Eye Games.

Gemini Rue is a future-noir detective story with a juicy
dystopian twist. It's obviously been influenced by genre greats
like Beneath a Steel Sky and the movie Blade Runner. It's even drenched in that same soaking rain
that plagued Ridley Scott's film. Barracus -- the distant exoplanet
where much of the game is set -- has an otherworldly atmosphere
which provides a perfect excuse to set the game in a constant,
mood-setting downpour.

Fittingly, the game is more about investigations and
sneaky detective work than the illogical item combinations that so
often bog down games in this genre. You'll find out which apartment
room someone's staying in by peeking at the mailboxes in the lobby
or badgering the clerk on the front desk. Gemini always
upholds a sensible, practical logic which hopefully means you can
get through the game without resorting to a
walkthrough.

You'll play as two characters, often switching between them for
narrative reasons. There's the comically-named Azriel Odin, a
grizzled trench-coat wearing detective bloke with a
bronchitis-sufferer's growl, and Delta-Six, an imprisoned lab-rat
with about as much personality as cottage cheese.Unfportunately, it's those lacklustre personalities that let
the game down at times. None of the characters, especially our two
heroes, are particularly likable. Plus, the voice-acting just
doesn't feel quite right, betraying the game's
otherwise-professional polish.

But, unsympathetic protagonists aside, Gemini Rue has all
the ingredients for an ultra-gripping sci-fi noir story, including
cosmic rehabilitation centres, seedy gangster offices and back
alley shoot-outs.The game doesn't outstay its
welcome, either. The excellent storyline is neatly wrapped up in
just a few hours, making for a perfect weekend distraction. At £10
it's also the right price -- and for that you even get a commentary
track from the developers.

Still craving point-and-clicks? They's still a few out there
-- on places like the iPhone App Store, Steam and Xbox Live Arcade -- it's just a case of finding them.
Find a list of some that are worth hunting for over the
page.

Gemini RueWadjet Eye Games

MachinariumA cute puzzle-solving
adventure from Czech Republic indie Amanita Design. You play a
pint-size, shape-shifting robot called Josef who uses his
snake-like arms and telescopic body to rescue his girlfriend. The
beautiful game uses absolutely no dialogue, with all information
relayed in images and animated thought bubbles.

Secret FilesGermany has held on to the traditional point-and-click with
an almost unbelievable tenacity. The country has kept the genre
ticking along for years with serviceable games like So
Blonde, Jack Keane and Ceville. A favourite
is the Secret Files series for PC, Wii and DS, which delves into
conspiracy theories surrounding 1908's Tunguska
event with devious puzzles and an array of interesting
locations.

Tales of Monkey IslandSan Francisco developer Telltale has made a mark with its
episodic point-and-click seasons, all featuring much-loved
characters from an eclectic handful of franchises like Wallace
and Gromit,Homestar Runner and Back to the
Future. Its Monkey
Island revamp is definitely the shining gem, with some
seriously funny games that fit snugly into the
Monkey-canon. The studio's working on games based on
Jurassic Park, The Walking Dead and King's Quest,
too.

Hector: Badge of CarnageThe iPhone is the perfect spot for point-and-click (or tap,
more accurately) adventures, and developers agree with iOS remakes
of Broken Sword, Monkey Island, Simon the
Sorcerer and more. Unfortunately original adventures are in
short supply, but ultra-crass, x-rated comedy Hector fills the gap well. A few hours of brain-scratching
puzzles for a couple of quid: you can't go wrong.

Adventure Game Studio
Finally, if you fancy having a go at creating a point-and-click
yourself, you could do far worse than checking out the
independently-developed Adventure Game
Studio, which Gemini Rue was actually built in. It's
not easy, but there's a welcoming community full of people putting
together their own adventure games in their spare time who'll help
you out if you run into problems. Check out some of their award
winners here.